Mockingbird Don't Sing
by phantomgirl259
Summary: AU. This is the story of Yami Sennen, the one they called 'The Wild Child', locked in a world alone. It is a journey through the hard realities of life. It is the story about his special bond with the young boy who will stand by him as he dares to hope for the love he never had. But Yami will discover just how selfish his new world can be...
1. Meet The Wild Child

**Chapter 1: Meet The Wild Child**

In Domino City people were going about their own business whether it was laughing with friends or just doing what they please, completely unaware that in a small house near the edge of the city something horrifying was happening.

In fact it had been happening for 16 years, and someone was waiting for it to stop.

For in this house lived a man with his wife and daughter; and another soul...

* * *

Richard Sennen was 47 year old man with short black hair, crimson eyes and well toned skin as he was from Egypt but moved to Japan with his wife to start a new life.

He had a great job as a bartender and lived in a nice neighbourhood yet he wasn't a very nice man.

What people didn't know was that Richard was an overbearing alcoholic that treated his family like shit.

Miwa Sennen was 44 year old woman with dark pink hair, golden bangs, navy blue eyes and pale skin and lived her whole life in Japan, working at a hair salon, yet not long after her daughter's 5th birthday she suddenly became blind due to a genetic disease she inherited from her mother and it cost Miwa her job.

She was a rather shy girl that wasn't aloud to leave the house unless Richard was with her at all times.

Azula Sennen was Richard and Miwa's 22 year old daughter and had long black hair with a single blonde streak running through it and toned skin like her father but had her mother's blue eyes.

Azula worked in a music video store in the mall and had one hell of a bad ass attitude.

She didn't really care about what other people wanted and only cared about her brother and saving enough money to move to California and becoming a DJ.

Finally, the last person in this house was Richard and Miwa's second child, Yami Sennen was 16 years old going on 17.

He had star shaped hair that was black with golden bangs, red tips and 3 gold strikes going up, he had pale skin and deep crimson eyes.

No one but Richard, Miwa and Azula knew of Yami's existence as from the age of 1 his father believed he was evil so Richard locked his only son in the back room and tied his hands and feet to a chair during the day and at night Yami would be tied to his small bed, Richard had ordered the girls never to talk or see him.

So with little Human contact aside from his father coming in to feed him or his older sister sneaking in before Richard gets home to feed him a cookie, Yami never learned to speak or walk...

* * *

In the Sennen House, Miwa was sat on the couch listening to the TV, Azula was listening to Nicki Minaj on her MP3 while reading a teen magazine and Richard was heading to the back room with a bowl of baby food in his hand as he stomped down the hall to his son's 'room'.

When he entered he saw Yami tied to the chair, staring at one of those cards from the game Duel Monsters, the Dark Magician. Richard smacked the card out of Yami's hand and started forcing the food down his son's mouth.

"Swallow." He growled as Yami struggled to down the soggy food.

"SWALLOW!" Richard shouted yet this time Yami nearly choked on the food and coughed it up on his father's white shirt, finally Richard snapped, he dunked his hand in the food and started to rub it against the boy's face.

"BET YOUR HAPPY NOW YOU UNGRATEFUL LITTLE SHIT!" He yelled as he smacked Yami across the face over and over again.

As he continued his assault on Yami, Miwa tried to drown out her son's screams in pain by covering her ears with her hands while Azula turned her music up, but Yami still kept on screaming...

* * *

Soon things had quieted down a bit, Yami was now tied to the bed with his face red, sore and still covered in baby food.

Azula was fast asleep in her sleeping bag on the floor, Miwa was lying on the sofa not daring to move and Richard was sat in his usual chair messing with a pistol.

"Richard, you promised me." Miwa whispered faintly, slowly lifting her head to her husband.

Richard didn't even pay any attention to her and continued to mess with his gun.

"You promised me that if Yami lived passed the age of 15 then we could get him some help." She said.

Richard smiled at his wife and aimed his gun at her, luckily for her it wasn't loaded.

"Bang."

Richard laughed as Miwa flinched when she heard the gun click...

* * *

The next morning Miwa was locked in the house while Richard and Azula went to work.

While Azula waited behind the counter for a customer she kept thinking about her brother and how awful her father treated him.

Suddenly an innocent voice dragged her out of her thoughts.

"Excuse me." Azula looked down to see a rather shorter version of her brother, this boy looked almost exactly like Yami except for a few features.

"Y-Yes." She stuttered, trying to get over her shock.

"Are you OK? You seem a bit out of it." The boy asked with a sweet smile.

"Uh yeah, it's just that you remind me of someone, that's all." She said, not taking her eyes off the boy.

"Me and my friends were going to a pizza place later, wanna join?"

"Sure, my shift ends in 10 minutes anyway."

" _What am I doing, I can't let my guard down, Father would kill me!_ " Azula thought as the boy started to walk out the store.

"Wait!" She exclaimed just as the boy was about to leave.

"What's your name?" The boy smiled.

"Yugi Muto. What's yours?" Yugi asked.

"I'm Azula Sennen." She replied with a smile...

* * *

10 Minutes later Azula walked into the pizza place that was just across from the music store.

She quickly noticed Yugi sat with his friend, as she walked over to them Yugi smiled and introduced them.

"Everyone this is Azula Sennen, Azula these are my friends." Yugi explained as he pointed to each as he said their name.

"That's my childhood friend Tea Gardner." The girl wearing a yellow t shirt and hot pink shorts smiled.

"This is my pal Joey Wheeler." The boy with dirty blond hair and honey brown eyes winked.

"And finally Tristan Taylor." The tall boy with dark brown hair gave a small wave.

After an hour of talking to Yugi and the gang Azula felt like she could tell them her darkest secrets.

"Guys can I ask you something?" She asked uneasily.

"Sure, a problem shared is a problem solved." Tea said as she ate her pizza.

"What would you do if you met someone who desperately needed help yet they couldn't ask for it?" Yugi thought about it for a moment.

"Well I would do my best to help this person even if I hurt myself in the process."

Azula had no idea what came over her, maybe it was her secret love for her brother or Yugi and his friend's kindness.

"Could you please come over to my house and wait till me and my parents are gone, the back door will be unlocked." She explained before quickly racing out the pizza place.

Joey looked down at her seat to see a note, taking a look he saw that it was her address...


	2. Discovery

**Chapter 2:** **Discovery**

The next afternoon Yugi and the gang waited outside Azula's house, waiting for everyone to leave.

"I still can't believe a 22 year old still lives with her parents." Joey muttered.

"Shhh!" The others glared.

Suddenly they saw Richard and Miwa walk towards his car.

"Alright, let's go, but remember that Richard will be back from work in a hour according to Azula's letter she left." Tristan whispered as the car sped off.

Quickly the gang ran round to the back door to find that it was unlocked like Azula promised.

Inside the house was like entering a horror house.

The walls were a sickly pale grey with cracks, the black curtains blocked out almost all light, the kitchen was covered in dirt and bugs, Joey and Tristan looked like they were going to throw up while Tea thought the place could use a makeover.

"Let's look around." Yugi said as they walked into the house.

They walked into the living room where they saw a sleeping bag on the floor and a blanket on the sofa.

"Guy's look at this." Tea said as she stared at some pictures on the drawers near the TV.

The first one was of Richard and Miwa on their wedding day.

"Look at that." Tristan whistled when he saw Miwa.

The next one was of an old woman that no one had ever seen before, she had dark pink eyes and curly silver hair with some bits of black still visible.

"Come to think about it, her picture is pretty much everywhere in this house." Tea said, sure enough, every wall in the house had at least one picture of this woman.

The next picture was of Richard and Miwa in a hospital and Miwa was holding a newborn baby in her arms.

"That must have been Azula when she was a baby." Joey muttered, completely mesmerised by the picture.

The next and final picture one the desk was a picture of Richard and Miwa sat on the sofa with a 5 year old Azula on Richard's lap and Miwa was holding a baby boy.

"He Yugi, that baby looks like you." Joey pointed out, but no one knew who the child was.

Next room they entered a bedroom with a king sized bed, a giant mirror and on a small table was a notebook that was covered in dust like it hadn't been touched in years. Yugi grabbed the book and started to read...

 ** _Dear Diary 19/3/1989_**

 ** _I have no idea how to say this, but I think that I, Richard Sennen, have fallen in love._**

 ** _It started at my cousin's engagement party I was drinking with my mates when she just appeared the crowd._**

 ** _Her pink hair and blue eyes just melted my heart, I learned that her name was Miwa Fukui and she is like a goddess from the heavens, she's from Japan and I intend to marry her no matter what but that ain't gonna be easy, you see my pals seem to feel the same way about her as I do._**

 ** _But that won't stop me, oh my desert flower, you will be mine no matter what..._**

"Control freak much." Tea glared.

"Yeah he seemed pretty obsessed if you ask me." Yugi agreed and kept reading.

 ** _Dear Diary 26/10/1989_**

 ** _I've finally done it, I have asked Miwa to marry me and she said yes._**

 ** _My mother Emma was so pleased with me that she gave me her and dad's wedding rings! I'm so happy I could cry, the wedding's in 1 week so I better get down to the tailor's and get me a fancy tux._**

At the bottom of the page there was the picture of that old woman again. "So that's who she is." Tristan muttered as Yugi continued reading.

 ** _Dear Diary 21/7/1990_**

 ** _I must be the luckiest man in the whole world for 3 days ago my little girl Azula was born, she has my features yet her mother's stunning blue eyes._**

 ** _She is like a little princess with a knight's fighting spirit but she makes to much noise, I wanted a nice quiet child that didn't scream the house down every night._**

 ** _Yet I'm worried about Miwa, she's been complaining that her eyes are hurting and it's becoming hard for her to see, I'm worried that she'll have to wear glasses in the near future._**

Tristan's eyes narrowed.

"Something tells me he only married her for her looks."

The others nodded in agreement.

"Maybe in the next page we'll find out who that boy is or where Emma is." Tea smiled and took over reading.

"By the looks of things he didn't write in this diary for 5 years." She said quietly...

 _ **Dear Diary 7/8/1995**_

 _ **I'm full of hate at this time and I fear that I'll never get over it.**_

 _ **You see, my mother Emma has just been killed in a hit and run accident while walking across the street just to get a stupid ice cream.**_

 _ **Me and my family had gone to her house to celebrate my son Yami's first birthday yet no more that 5 minutes after we left she was killed.**_

 _ **That just proves my suspicions, my son is nothing but bad luck to who ever comes in contact with him so I've decided to seal him away in his room.**_

 _ **I can't risk him hurting other people as my poor wife has already become blind but my daughter was thankfully born lucky, but I must do what's right.**_

 _ **I will limit his contact with people and make sure no one but me, Miwa and Azula know of his existence.**_

 _ **This is my final entry but believe me, I'm doing the right thing.**_

"And that's all there is." Tea sighed and set the book down on the table.

"How can someone think that is the right thing to!" Joey exclaimed and stormed out the room, the others quickly followed.

"Look Joey, I know it sounds bad but maybe he just followed him around for a bit and probably realized that what he thought was a load of shit." Tristan tried to reassure his friend but Joey still kept his glare.

"Guys, come here." Yugi whispered as he stood by and old wooden door.

Slowly they opened and saw what looked like a child's bedroom.

The windows were boarded up not letting a ray of sunlight in, the floor was made of old oak floor boards that creaked at the slightest movement, some plastic bowls that still had some baby food in them lay scattered on the floor and rather large crib with chicken wire on top of it with four pairs of handcuffs attached to the posts.

"G-G-Guys." Tea stuttered.

"What?" Yugi asked, Tea pointed an extremely shaky finger to the darkest corner of the room, their eyes widened in fear.

"Oh. My. God." Tristan whimpered, in the corner of the room was a teenage boy who looked almost identical to Yugi sat strapped to a chair, dressed in rags, nothing but skin and bones, covered in dirt and hung his head down so that his gold bangs covered his eyes.

"It's Yami!" Joey exclaimed.

"Is he dead?" Tea asked as tears welled in her eyes, as soon as Yugi placed his hand on the boy's skinny shoulder Yami's head shot up.

"AAAAAHHHHHH!" Everyone screamed as the boy's whipped his head around in fear.

Suddenly a car engine could be heard outside, Joey raced out the room and took a quick glance out the front window to see Richard and Miwa getting out the car with bags of groceries.

"Run!" Joey yelled and the gang raced out the back door and slammed it shut just as Richard opened the front door...

* * *

When they got to Yugi's house they ran into his room and slammed the door shut.

"W-What do we do?" Tea stuttered as her arms shook uncontrollably.

"We call the police." Joey stated, Yugi slowly nodded his head, picking up the phone he dialed 911...


	3. The Hospital

**Chapter 3: The Hospital**

A weeks later Yugi and the gang went to Azula's house to find a crowd of journalists, suddenly cameras came to life and the journalist started shouting as the police dragged the Sennen family out their house.

Joey and Tristan couldn't keep the look of disgust off their faces, Tea looked away but Yugi didn't have an expression on his face.

Azula noticed them across the street and with a smile she mouthed 'thank you' before a cop shoved her to a car.

"Excuse me!"

The gang looked over to see a woman in her early 30's running over to them.

She had bright blue eyes and bleach blond hair that was tied back in a ponytail, she wore a black sweater with a white jacket, blue jeans and black high heels.

"Are you the people that first discovered Yami?" She asked.

"Yes we are." Yugi replied.

"Pleasure to meet you, I'm Doctor Honey, it's going to be my job to document Yami's progress and he goes about acquiring language." Dr. Honey explained.

"What does that have to do with us?" Joey asked, feeling a bit uneasy.

"Well, I did some research into why Yami looks like you Yugi, and I found out that you and Yami are related!" She exclaimed, Yugi's eyes widened.

"Really?!"

Dr. Honey nodded.

"Yep, according to my research, your grandfather had a little sister, she later ran away from home and quickly married and had Yami's mother." Yugi couldn't believe it.

"And tomorrow I've booked an appointment for you and you Grandfather to come and visit him."

Yugi didn't know what to think.

"I'm sorry for the rest of you, but for now only family can visit him." She explained, but before anyone could argue Dr. Honey stopped them

"I promise that when the doctors have given me the all clear then you guys can come and visit."

The others seemed satisfied with that answer.

"Does Grandpa know?" Yugi asked.

"Yes I called about an hour ago, your visit will be in two days around noon."

Suddenly a black sports car pulled up beside them, a young man around 27 stepped out.

"Dr. Honey your needed back at the hospital." He said in a dark voice.

"I'll see you in two days Yugi." She smiled as she climbed into the car...

* * *

When Yugi came home that evening he saw his grandpa sat on the couch watching the news.

"Yugi come look at this." He said, Yugi looked at the TV and saw the news guy ranting about Yami.

 ** _Officials_** ** _in Domino City has taken custody of a 16 year old boy who they say was kept in such isolation by his parents that he never even learned to talk or walk._**

 ** _The boy was still wearing diapers and was making infant noises when the police found him early this week._**

 ** _Yami Sennen_ _is currently being treated at Domino Children's Hospital and the doctor's are still hoping he still has a normal learning capacity._**

 ** _His parents and older sister are free on bail tonight and will be facing charges in what people are calling the worse case of child abuse they have ever seen._**

 ** _Because of his inability to walk or speak the people have given him the title 'Wild Child'._**

Yugi couldn't turn his eyes away from the screen, not even Grandpa had turned it off.

"Well we should get some rest, after all, we'll be meeting your long lost cousin." The old man smiled and went upstairs to bed.

Yugi sat there till about midnight before finally going to bed, but his dreams were invaded by nightmares of that house where Yami spent his life...

* * *

The next day Yugi and Grandpa sat in the waiting at the hospital while they waited for Dr. Honey to come and get them.

"Ah Yugi!" A friendly voice exclaimed, Yugi looked up to see Dr. Honey standing in the doorway.

"Follow me."

They followed her to a small room with a giant window and door that led to another large room full of toys, games and bright colours.

On one of the chairs was a man that looked in his fifties and at the other side of the room was Yami.

He was now out of those rags and now wore a hospital gown but he still had dark circles around his eyes and when he walked he took only baby steps and waddled like a penguin he was also skinny as a stick, he was currently sat on the ground playing with a brown teddy bear.

"That's Yami's therapist Stan, he's been trying to teach Yami knew words."

"Well how many words has he learned?" Grandpa asked as he watched Stan try to talk to Yami but the boy seemed to be too occupied playing with the teddy.

"Stan claims he heard Yami use some like 'Mama' and 'Dada' and I've heard him use some colours, we gathered that he learned those before he was locked away, but so far he hasn't picked up any new ones."

Yugi couldn't believe it.

"Would you like to go in?" Dr. Honey asked, Yugi slowly nodded.

"Remember, don't speak loudly and if gets all up in your face just let him do what he wants."

And with that the door opened and they stepped inside.

"I think I'll watch from here." Grandpa smiled.

"Do you like the hair? Yami what colour is that?" Stan asked as Yami played with the bear's fur.

"Yami, do you know the colour? It's brown, mine's grey and you have a lot of colours don't you?"

"Yami do you remember me?" Yami's head shot up when he heard Dr. Honey's voice.

"I'm Doctor Honey and I've brought a friend with me." She smiled, Yami just stared at her.

"He's called Yugi."

The said boy walked up to Yami and knelt down next to his cousin.

Yami reached out his hands and started to mess with his hair, Yugi didn't dare move as his look alike went from feeling his hair to his face...

* * *

Later that day Yugi, Grandpa, Stan and Yami were sat in the dining room eating some lunch, while they tried to eat their own food Yami kept ramming the crackers he had been given into his mouth, hardly chewing any of them.

"Apparently his father didn't give him enough time to chew his food so Yami waits for it to break down in his mouth." Stan explained.

Suddenly one of the dinner ladies walked up to them holding a plastic green bucket.

"Hey sugar pie, I've got a little present for you." She said sweetly and gave Yami the bucket.

"How did you know he wanted that?" Stan asked as Yami started to feel the bucket.

"He told me, well he didn't use real words but he told me just the same."

With that the lady left, Yugi and Grandpa stared at Yami in awe as he put the bucket up against his face and rub it against his cheeks...


	4. School and the Day Out

**Chapter 4: School and the Day Out**

About five days after Yugi met Yami in the hospital, he sat with Dr. Honey at the back of a classroom full of 2-3 year old and watched Yami.

At the front of the class was the teacher June Wiley.

June had short brown curly hair, chocolate brown eyes and wore a pale green dress with white flowers on it.

In front of her was a girl with long blonde hair and she was also the in a wheelchair.

Next to the girl was a boy with ginger hair and next to him was Yami, all three of them were holding small balloons.

"Ok Mary how many balloons do you have?" She asked a small girl.

"Four." Mary replied.

"And how about you Jack, how many balloons do you have?"

"Three."

Yami looked at Jack in confusion.

"I think you want to take another look at those balloons, is it three or is it actually two?" June asked, as Jack thought long and hard Yami shoved his balloon into the little boys hands.

"Well thanks to Yami, it's now certainly three." June chuckled and gave Yami a gentle hug.

"Very good." She whispered.

"Good." Yami mimicked, Yugi's eyes widened as it was the first time he had ever heard Yami speak and Dr. Honey wrote something in her notebook.

Suddenly the door opened and Seto Kaiba stepped in.

"What's Kaiba doing here?" Yugi asked Dr. Honey as Seto knelt in front of Yami.

"Oh I thought you knew! You see, Kaiba is funding the operation and he has asked to have frequent visits with Yami to see how the research is going." Dr. Honey explained.

Yugi turned his gaze back to Seto and saw him extend a hand out to Yami, who started to play with Seto's fingers...

* * *

Soon break came and all the children were outside playing, Yugi and Dr. Honey watched as June and Seto showed Yami how to play with the toy cars, they quickly noticed June and Kaiba walking over to them.

"Hello Mr. Kaiba, I'm Dr. Honey." She smiled and extended her hand.

"So you're the one the hospital has trusted to teach Yami how to talk?" June laughed.

"I would have thought that with the money I gave them they would get a professional." Kaiba sneered.

"Well they hired me because I have no time constraints or family obligations." Dr. Honey explained.

"No experience." June added with a smirk as Seto went back to Yami.

"Do you really think that you're actually qualified to teach this boy how to speak?" June mocked and Yugi couldn't help but glare at this woman.

"I'm not here to teach him how to talk, I'm here to document how he goes about acquiring language, there's a huge different." Dr. Honey glared.

"Whatever." June sneered and walked over to some children who were fighting about something, Yugi went to find Yami.

He soon found his cousin sat on one of the swings as Seto gave him a small push.

"So you're funding the project?" Yugi asked as he walked over to the two.

"Yes, and before you ask, I'm here because when I heard about this young boy I wanted to come and see him for myself, and he is as magnificent as I was told." Kaiba explained as he helped Yami off the swing.

The said boy quickly sat down and started playing with a fire engine.

"Why are you here? Shouldn't you be in school?" Kaiba glared.

"No, my Grandpa and Yami's therapist Stan spoke to school, I'm aloud to spend all of Wednesday and Thursday with him, I have to have extra homework as a price but trust me it's worth spending time with Yami."

Yami smiled and held up the fire engine he was playing with.

"Red!" He exclaimed happily to Seto.

"Yes, that's red." Seto smiled and sat beside Yami who was pushing the fire engine back and forth...

* * *

"YA MEAN MONEYBAGS IS PAY FOR YAMI'S TREATMENT!?" Joey yelled.

That night the gang met up at Yugi's place for a sleepover and when Yugi told them about Yami's day at school they were in shock.

"He's paying for the treatment, school, the doctors and stuff like clothes." Yugi muttered, Tea decided to change the subject.

"So he spoke today?"

Yugi nodded his head.

"I heard him say 'good' when the teacher was praising him and he said 'red' to Kaiba when he was playing with a fire truck."

"That's great, at least he's learning new words." Tristan smiled.

"And there's more good news, Dr. Honey says that because of school Yami's starting to get use to large crowds so on Saturday me and Stan are going to take him into town and Stan said that you guys can come if you want."

They couldn't believe their ears.

"That's great!" They cheered.

"Yugi! Come here quick!" Grandpa exclaimed.

Running into the living room Yugi and the gang saw the News was on.

 ** _This morning 22 year old Azula Sennen and 44 year old Miwa Sennen were found not guilty for the abuse of Yami Sennen._**

 ** _However, before he could face trial, Richard Sennen shot and killed himself in his own house._**

 ** _On a table next to his body police found a note saying 'The World Will Never Understand'._**

 ** _At least we can all sleep safely in our beds tonight and Yami Sennen is now free from his violent past._**

"THAT FUCKING COWARD!" Joey and Tristan cursed, Tea felt like hitting something and Yugi and Grandpa didn't know what to think.

"Maybe we should watch something else." Grandpa suggested and quickly changed the channel...

* * *

It was Saturday afternoon and the gang were running towards Domino Station.

"Where are they?" Joey asked as he gasped for air, Tea looked around and saw Yugi, Stan and Yami standing across the road.

"Hey Yugi over here!" She cried as they ran over to them.

"Shhh!" Yugi glared and pointed to Yami, who was a bit scared and was gripping Stan's arm tightly.

"Sorry Yugi." Joey chuckled.

Soon the gang brought Yami to a grocery store and watched him examine different things in the store.

"What you got there Yami?" Tea asked when she saw Yami pick up a tin of peas.

"Green." He muttered.

"Very good." Tristan smiled.

Yami slowly walked over to a man who was buying different soups, Yami started to pull hard on the man's red coat.

"Oh no Yami don't do that!" Yugi exclaimed as he and Stan tried to get his look-a-like lose.

After three minutes they finally got Yami off but no sooner did they let him go he went over to the butcher section and stared at different meats.

One of the butchers noticed Yami.

"Hey there." He smiled, he recognized Yami from the TV.

"You want this?"

He held out a piece of meat, Yami quickly took the piece of meat and started to feel the meat and put against his lips and rubbed it against his face.

The gang and butcher watched him in wonder...

* * *

After they went to the store they took Yami to the park, they played on the swings and the slide then they bought him some ice cream.

As they walked along the park Yugi was talk to Tea about how well Yami was doing, Tristan and Joey were asking Stan questions about Yami's recovery, however, no one noticed Yami walk off and he soon found himself in front of a Rottweiler.

Suddenly the dog started snarling and barking at him and Yami saw something playing out in his mind...

 _ **(Flashback)**_

 _A 5 year old Yami sat strapped to his chair, his father was standing in front of him._

 _"Grrrrr!" He growled._

 _"RRROOOAAARRR!" He snarled and he kept on doing again and again..._

 ** _(End Flashback)_**

"AAAAHHHHH!"

Yugi and the others quickly turned around to see Yami cowering in fear as the dog barked louder.

"Yami!" Yugi cried, when he and the others got to him they saw he was scratching his arms till they started to bleed.

"Yami please don't do that!" Tea exclaimed as she, Stan and Yugi tried to calm him down, Joey and Tristan tried to get the dog away.

Soon the dog's owner came and took it away, by then Yami was lying on his side gasping for air and Tea and Stan were holding his arms as Yugi tried to calm him down...


	5. Tests and Quarantine

**Chapter 5: Tests and** **Quarantine**

After the dog issue the doctors decided to run some tests on Yami's brain to see if he had brain damage from his horrible years of abuse.

Yami was hooked up to different machines and wires to monitor his brainwaves while he slept, in the other room was Yugi, Tea, Joey, Dr. Honey and Stan watching him from a nearby window.

Grandpa had to take care of the game shop and Tristan was at home in bed ill. Yugi soon noticed that Yami was starting to wake up.

"Guys I think he's waking up."

Yami started to sit up and look around the room in fear.

"Look at him, he's scared to death, can I just go in there and make sure he's OK?" Yugi asked Stan with his pleading eyes.

"Don't you worry he'll be back to sleep in no time." Stan reassured.

"Now when you isolate someone you start to see the affects in as little as 15 minutes, so judging what this boy has been through, we're gonna find some interesting stuff." Dr. Honey said as the machines beeped.

"Yugi where are you going?" Tea asked when she saw Yugi heading towards the door that lead to the room Yami was in.

"I'm just gonna go and say hi, just so he knows I'm close by."

"Yugi wait!" Dr. Honey tried to stop him but he was already in the room.

"Hey Yami." He said softly as Yami tried to pull the wires off his head.

"Oh no don't do that."

But Yami went from trying to take the wires off to pulling on the leather strap that held him to the bed.

"How about I sing you a song?" Yugi asked quickly.

 ** _"Hush little baby don't you cry_**

 ** _Papa's gonna sing you a lullaby_**

 ** _Hush little baby don't say a word_**

 ** _Papa's gonna buy you a mockingbird_**

 ** _And if that mockingbird don't sing_**

 ** _Papa's gonna buy you a diamond ring."_**

As Yugi continued to sing Yami gave a slight chuckle. "Yugi silly." He smiled before slowly drifting back to sleep...

* * *

"So he said 'Yugi silly'?" Grandpa asked after Yugi told him what happened.

"Yep, it's also the first time he's called me by name or put two words together for that matter." Yugi smiled as they walked to Yami's room in the hospital where they saw Yami play with a plastic bucket as he sat on his bed, next to him was Dr. Honey.

"Buck!" Yami giggled and showed Dr. Honey a red bucket.

"Yes you like buckets." Dr. Honey smiled.

"Hey Yami." Grandpa laughed as Yami started to pull on his arm.

Suddenly June Wiley walked over to them.

"Making more of our little research notes I see." She snarled at Dr. Honey and turned to Yami.

"Yami, how would you like to spend the night at my house?" Yugi and Grandpa couldn't believe what they were hearing.

"I beg your pardon?" Dr. Honey asked.

"Stan said it was alright, this child is not simply a tool of science, it's about time he spent some time in a normal home." June smiled as Yami gripped her hand tightly.

"A normal home?! June do I need to remind you of certain comments you've made?"

But June wasn't paying Dr. Honey any attention.

"Like June!" Yami smiled.

"And June likes Yami too, June likes Yami more than anyone else in the whole world."

All Yugi and Grandpa could do was watch as June helped Yami into her car and drive off.

When they entered Stan's office they found that Dr. Honey had beaten them to it.

"Look guys, June makes a fair point, Yami needs to learn what life will be like for him outside the hospital bed." Stan explained, Yugi knew that Stan was right but he still had a bad feeling about it...

* * *

It was around 5 am, Yugi was sound asleep in his room when the phone rang, Grandpa went to answer it.

"Hello? No he's still asleep. Sure I give him a message." Grandpa said as he grabbed a pen and notepad, unaware that Yugi had just walked into the room.

"What?" Grandpa exclaimed.

"What's wrong Grandpa?" Yugi yawned.

"Yami's being quarantined over at June Wiley's house."

Yugi couldn't believe what he had just heard, he ran upstairs, got dressed and was out the front door like a flash of lighting...

* * *

"June has contracted Rubella, Yami's been staying over at her place so he's been infected as well and we can't risk infecting the other children at the hospital." Stan explained to Yugi, Dr. Honey and the gang.

"I can't believe this!" Dr. Honey glared as she paced around the office.

"Are we sure she's not lying?" Yugi asked, Stan nodded.

"I saw her for myself and she's definitely got something."

"Yeah she's got something alright, she has Yami." Joey muttered.

"Alright, let's just calm down, it's gonna be business only for the next few days it'll take place at June's house." Stan said in a calm voice.

"Oh and I have this to give to you." Dr. Honey took the piece of paper from the therapist.

"Well this just keeps getting better." She glared.

"What is it?" Tea asked, Dr. Honey passed the note to her.

"It's a request from Yami's mother!" She exclaimed.

"What does she want?" Tristan snarled.

"She wants to come visit her son." Stan nodded.

"Social Services say it's alright as long as we at the hospital think Yami's healthy enough."

"And the doctors here think that Yami's healthy enough, so it's just a matter of arranging a date."

Yugi soaked up this information like a sponge in a puddle, soon he would meet Yami's mother...

* * *

When the gang and Dr. Honey arrived at June's house they waited at the front door for her to answer.

"Guys look." Tristan smiled and pointed to the window that showed the living room, Yami was sat next it waving out to them.

"Hey Yami, could you open the door?" Tea asked but Yami tilted his head in confusion.

Suddenly the door opened and June appeared.

"Please come in."

As soon as they walked into the house Yami ran out the living room with a huge smile on his face.

"Yugi wait." He smiled.

"Oh yeah, Yugi did wait." Yugi smiled before turning towards June.

"So how are you feeling June?"

"Much better thank you."

Yami started pulling Tea and Yugi's arms.

"Front door!" He exclaimed.

"Good Yami, you're learning a lot of new words." Joey smirked.

"But 'store' is his favourite, every building he sees he points and says store." June explained.

"Go store!" Yami giggled.

"If it's alright with Dr. Honey then it's alright with me." Yami looked at Dr. Honey with pleading eyes.

"Of course it's OK with me."

The minute those words left her mouth Yami had already pulled Yugi and Tea out the door...

* * *

That evening everyone was at June's place talking about Yami.

Dr. Honey, Yugi and Tea were in the kitchen, Joey and Tristan were watching TV with Yami.

"Yami, you can watch TV for a few more minutes then it's time for bed." June said before walking into the kitchen

"I just can't get over how well he's doing, you've really got a gift June." Dr. Honey smiled before taking a drink from the coffee she was given.

"Well I guess I can empathise, I was a very sick child myself and always wanted children of my own but I guess it just wasn't meant to be." June sighed sadly.

"Now I hope you've noticed that Yami's quite fond of grabbing hold of people?" June asked as she handed Yugi and Tea some drinks.

"Yeah, he grabbed hold of a man's coat in a store once." Tea chuckled.

"But you've tried to stop him?"

"Yes we have." Yugi replied.

"Do you think that maybe he's picking it up from somewhere?" June asked.

"I didn't think so, I mean, he does have a habit of copying what he sees but I've never seen someone be ruff with him." Dr. Honey explained, June just nodded her head slowly...


	6. A New Home

**Chapter** **6: A New Home**

It had been almost a week since Yami had been quarantined at June's house, Yugi, Dr. Honey and the gang were sat in Stan's office, he had some devastating news for them.

"June Wiley is accusing Joey and Tristan of assaulting Yami." Stan said sadly, Yugi felt like a bomb had hit.

"I asked Joey and Tristan to come with me yesterday to check things out, I was upstairs with June looking around Yami's room and Joey and Tristan were downstairs with him, they were trying to show Yami how to use a TV remote, when me and June came downstairs Joey and Tristan were arguing and Yami was huddling in a corner, scared to death. June looks right at him and well..."

Stan didn't know how describe it.

"She's completely out of her mind!" Tea shouted.

"Look Stan, me and Tristan really do care about that boy and we've been talking, we think that it's only fair that we, well, quit the team." Joey admitted sadly before he and Tristan left the office...

* * *

The next morning Yugi went to confront June by himself.

As he knocked on the door he saw Yami waving at him through the window.

"Yami could you open the door for me?" He asked, only to get the same reaction as Tea got a week ago.

"Please Yami, not again." Yugi pleaded.

"I'll be right back Yami." June said as she stepped outside.

"What's going on?" He asked as June walked over to him.

"I don't' think it's a good idea for you to see Yami today." June said with her arms crossed.

"What-"

"Your visits are tiring him." She stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Since when do you decide who he sees and doesn't see?" Yami stared at the two people from the window in fear and confusion, Yugi noticed this.

"You're not his guardian." Yugi glared.

"Well as a matter of fact I've applied to be just that." June smiled

"And until Social Services make their decision Yami is to remain in my custody." June grinned before walking away.

"June don't you realize what you're doing?! Your cutting him off from the rest of the world, it is like his right back in the house he grew up in."

June gasped and stormed towards her door.

"First Joey and Tristan and now me, are you gonna go on holding him hostage for the rest of his life?!" Yugi cried before June slammed the door shut.

Yugi looked back at the window to see Yami's sweet smile before June pulled the curtains back...

* * *

The next day Yugi sat on a bench in the park watching videos of Yami's lessons on his laptop.

"Your Grandpa said I'd find you here." A strong voice chuckled, Yugi looked up to see Stan in front of him.

"You OK?" He asked as he sat down next to the boy.

"Yeah just looking over the work you guys were doing about a month ago, it's pretty much all I can do at this point." Yugi sighed sadly, Stan nodded.

"Me and my wife Alice have been talking and we've decided to apply to be Yami's foster parents." Yugi couldn't stop a smile crawl onto his face.

"Stan that is the best news I've heard all week."

"It's not a firm decision, me and Alice have two kids of our own and Yami is of course a handful."

Yugi's smiled dropped slightly.

"But I'm Yami's therapist and Alice used to teach mentally disabled children before she retired, so I think it could be done." Stan smiled.

"That's amazing!" Yugi exclaimed and quickly jumped off the bench, grabbed his laptop and ran off.

"Where are you going?" Stan cried.

"To tell the guys!" Yugi replied before vanishing from Stan's sight...

* * *

Two days later Stan put Yami's things in the trunk of his car as Yami got into the passenger seat with a bunch of toys on his lap.

"Yami!" June cried as she ran to the car.

"You forgot one" She said sweetly and knelt down to pass him a little brown teddy bear.

"I love you." She sniffed as tears welled up in her eyes.

As Stan walked around the car to the driver's seat June slowly stood up, hatred in her teary eyes.

"I don't know what to say." He admitted.

"Not now you don't, but believe me this ain't over yet." June snarled.

"You are depriving this child of the best home he's ever had or ever will have, and I'm gonna make sure you all pay if it's the last thing I do!" She cried as Stan climbed into his car and drove off.

Yami pointed his head out the window and slowly waved goodbye to June, who just watched as tears flowed down her face...

* * *

When Yugi and Tea arrived at Stan's house he saw in was a bit little mini mansion.

The garden was full of different flowers making look colourful, with walls were a red like orange and the door and windows were dark grey.

Suddenly the door opened and a woman in her mid 40's appeared.

She had long wavy black hair, beautiful blue eyes and a dark blue mini dress with black tights.

"You must be Yugi and Tea, I'm Alice." She smiled and let the boy walk into the house.

When Yugi walked into the house he saw that the living room had tanned walls, a black piano, dozens of books and sat on a leather sofa was Yami and Dr. Honey.

Yami was trying to copy the words off a chalkboard that Dr. Honey had wrote.

"Car...mirror...have." Yami stuttered.

"The car has a mirror." Dr. Honey repeated slowly.

"Mirror...the...a...have...car." Dr. Honey sighed.

Suddenly Yami shot up and wrapped Yugi in a tight hug.

"Wow easy there Yami!" Yugi laughed.

"Hey Yami." Tea smiled, Yami quickly grabbed Tea's arm and dragged her to the piano.

"Tea play piano!" He exclaimed, and pushed Tea's hands on the keys.

Tea smiled softly before playing a sweet song on Stan's piano with Yami watching with delight...


	7. Anger Management and Reunion

**Chapter 7: Anger Management and Reunion**

It had been almost 2 weeks since Yami had moved in with Stan's family. In that time he was moved to a new school, which he attended 3 times a week and Kaiba still came to visit him at school.

When he wasn't at school he would stay at Stan's house with Alice while Stan went to work and their children Emily, who was 14, and George, who was 18, went to school.

"Have an fun day at work sweetie." Alice smiled to her husband as her family set off.

From the balcony that was just outside his bedroom and had giant windows to keep him from falling over the edge, Yami watched as his new foster family left.

After they had left Yami sat on his bed and started looking at the pictures in a magazine that he found in George's room.

However, as he flipped through the pages he kept seeing pictures of dogs and terrifying images filled his head.

Immediately he threw the magazine across the room and started throwing his toys around.

From downstairs Alice heard the racket and ran up the stairs as fast as she could to see what was wrong, when she got there she saw a horrifying sight.

Yami was lying on his bed clawing at his arms that were now bleeding.

"Yami stop please!" She begged but the boy refused to listen and kept tearing at his bloody arms.

Alice then rushed over to a chair and grabbed a pillow.

"Yami, watch me!" She exclaimed and began hitting the end of the bed and grunting angrily, Yami watched quietly in fascination.

The next day, Yugi was at Stan's house with Tea and Dr. Honey.

They watched as Stan filmed Alice teaching Yami how to throw a tantrum.

"I know that this is helping Yami but you might live to regret this." Dr. Honey warned as Alice told Yami to run upstairs and slam the door.

Stan sighed as he ended the film.

"You might be right."...

* * *

At last the day everyone had been waiting for, the day Yami would see his mother.

It was 8pm and Miwa would be coming over soon, Yugi was asked to come and met her.

After what seemed like an eternity the front door bell finally rang.

As everyone waited in the living room Stan and Alice lead Miwa inside, the hospital had given her an operation on her eyes and it restored her eyesight.

"Yami, mommy's here." Alice called upstairs, soon Yami came waddling down the stairs, with Yugi's help, and gave his surprised mother a tight hug, when he pulled back he tried to speak.

"Yami happy Mama see." He stuttered with a smile.

"W-What have you done to make him walk so funny?" She asked when her shook faded.

Yami looked at his mother in confusion and then turned to Yugi who didn't know what to do so he turned to Stan for lunch, the scientist seemed to get the message.

"How about dinner?"...

* * *

As everyone ate the sausages and mash potatoes the Alice made they tried to talk to Miwa about Yami's progress or ask her how she was doing but she didn't say much.

"Yami." Miwa finally spoke up and Yami looked up at her.

"Did I tell ya your sister moved away?" She asked.

Yugi's eyes widened.

"Don't know where exactly, she didn't really tell me." She muttered and continued eating.

The rest of the dinner went by slowly and no words were spoken.

Finally it was time for Miwa to leave, as she walked to the front door Yami grabbed her hand and looked at her with pleading eyes.

Miwa sighed and pulled her son into a gentle embrace before leaving.

As Stan and Alice washed the dishes Stan couldn't help but feel angry at Miwa.

"She could at least taken notice of the project!" He exclaimed.

"I guess she must be overwhelmed." Alice suggested.

"Personally I don't know how I would take it if I arrived in some stranger's house and saw this stranger acting like a new mother to my child."

Stan sighed.

"I guess she must feel pretty powerless."..


	8. New School and an Enemy Returns

**Chapter 8:** **New School and an Enemy Returns**

After Miwa visited her only son, Yami was sent back to school.

The school bus pulled up outside Stan's house where Yami, Dr. Honey, Stan and Alice were waiting.

"Yami this is Misty." Alice explained when the bus driver opened the doors, Yami backed up a little.

"She knows where to drop you off and Yugi and Kaiba will meet you at school so don't worry." Dr. Honey reassured.

As Yami climbed onto the bus he saw different kids aged between 4-12 years old.

He sat near the front of the bus on his own and wrapped his arms tightly around himself...

* * *

When Yami arrived at school Kaiba was at the gates waiting for him.

"Hey Yami." He smiled as Yami ran up to him and gripped his white coat tightly.

"What's wrong?" Kaiba asked as Yami hid behind him.

"Scary." He whimpered and pointed at the bus.

"Yami, don't worry about the bus, it won't hurt you as long as I'm here to protect you." Kaiba said softly but Yami still wouldn't release the taller man's coat.

When they walked into the classroom Yami saw it was full of 4 year olds and Yugi was sat at the back of the classroom waving at him.

"Everyone, this is Yami Sennen."

Yami's new teacher, Chloe Stanford, said to the class and gently pulled Yami off of Kaiba's coat and sat him down.

"He's a little older than the rest of you but he's never been to school before so I want you to be extra nice to him do I make myself clear?" Chloe warned the rest of the class.

"Yes Miss Stanford." They all said together...

* * *

When Misty parked the bus outside of Stan's home, Alice and Yugi were waiting.

She opened the doors and turned to Yami.

"This is your stop Yami." She smiled but Yami just sat there

"Come on Yami." Alice said as she climbed onto the bus and took hold of Yami's hand but the boy refused to moved.

"Yami it's time to go." Yugi chuckled.

Eventually, with Misty's and Stan's help, they were able to get him off the bus, but the second they let go of him he ran back to the bus, luckily Misty's shut the doors just in time...

* * *

That afternoon, Yugi sat in a café with his girlfriend Rebecca Hawkins.

"Really!" Rebecca laughed when he told her about Yami and the bus.

"It took almost 6 minutes before we managed to get him off the bus." Yugi laughed.

"How long have you known Yami now?" She asked before taking a quick sip of her smoothie.

"Almost a year now, why?"

Rebecca glared.

"How come I've never met him?!" She cried and Yugi massaged his forehead because of the headache she was giving him.

"Rebecca we've talked about this, we're trying to get Yami settled with Stan's family before introducing him to more people."

"Then why is he spending the weekend at Kaiba's beach house?" Rebecca asked angrily.

"What?" Yugi couldn't believe it.

"Yeah it was on the news, apparently Kaiba wants Yami to spend the weekend with him so that he can see how far your little buddy has come along." Rebecca spat.

Yugi didn't say anything else, he shot out of his chair and ran to Stan's house...

* * *

When Yugi got there he ran inside to Yami's room and saw Kaiba helping Yami pack up some of his favourite toys and stuff.

"What's going on?" He asked before Yami gave him a loving hug.

"I thought it would be best if Yami spent the weekend at my beach house." Kaiba said it as if it was obvious.

"I thought Stan wanted Yami to get settled first?"

Kaiba shot him a glare.

"And I'm the one funding the project, I also want to see how well his recovery is going for myself with dozens of doctors and scientists smothering him." The CEO explained and with that he lead Yami to his limo.

"What ever happened to letting Yami get settled first?!" Yugi exclaimed after Kaiba left.

Stan sighed.

"I had no choice, Mr Kaiba is the one funding the whole operation, if I refused his request then he might cut the funding."

Yugi took a moment to think, he knew that Stan was right but he was worried that all this might confuse and frighten Yami.

* * *

The next day Yugi was out buying groceries for Grandpa with Tea, Tristan and Joey when he bumped into the last person he wanted to see.

June Wiley.

"Well if it isn't Yugi Muto and his friends." She taunted with a smug look on her face.

"Hello June." Joey growled.

"You know your friend Dr. Honey has become quiet famous since she posted that little article hasn't she?" She glared and pulled out a news paper.

"What was it she put? 'Development in the mind of the modem day wild child'. Catchy title, but a little insulting to Yami don't you think?!" She snarled.

Yugi didn't know what to say.

"Saying that Yami couldn't form a grammatical sentence?! That's a lie, maybe he didn't with you but when he was living with me he asked grammatical sentences all the time!"

And with that she walked off...


	9. Day At The Beach And Stress

**Chapter 9: Day At The Beach And Stress**

Yami was excited. Today he was gonna spend the whole day with Yugi, Kaiba and his mother at the beach!

"Yami hold still." Mokuba laughed as he tried to help Yami get dressed but the boy wouldn't stop moving.

After what seemed like hours Yami was finally dressed.

"Now we have to wait for Yugi to arrive and he'll take you to see Miwa."

"Ma!" He exclaimed happily when he heard his mother's name.

Yugi suddenly walked in.

"Hey Yami ready to go?" He asked but the other teen was already heading for the front door.

"He is really looking forward to this visit isn't he?" Yugi asked and Mokuba nodded.

"Mr Mokuba! Yugi! You might wanna get down here now!" Roland cried.

Quickly, they ran downstairs and saw Yami trembling on the porch.

They ran out and saw him staring at the neighbours garden across the road with a frightful look on his face.

The neighbours were playing baseball.

"Yami what's wrong?" Yugi asked but when he knelt down Yami backed up in fear.

"Please tell me what's wrong."

Yami continued shaking and pointed to the baseball bat one of the kids were holding...

* * *

Soon Yami had calmed down and Yugi brought him to the beach where Miwa was waiting for them.

Yugi and Miwa sat on some beach towers to protect their clothes from the sand as Yami played Kaiba and his bucket and spade.

Miwa gave her son a wave.

Yami looked at her for a moment before grinning from ear to ear.

"You OK?" Yugi asked when he saw Miwa's sad expression.

"Those people Yami lives with, Dr. Holt's family, they don't like me very much do they?" She asked coldly, not facing the boy.

"I don't think that's true." Yugi replied.

This time Miwa turned to face him.

"Then why won't they let me see Yami at their house?" She asked.

"I guess they want you to spend some alone time with your son." Yugi suggested, Miwa didn't say anything else and turned back to her son.

Kaiba was showing Yami how to build a sand castle.

"Miwa." The said girl turned her head slightly.

"This morning Yami panicked when he saw some kids across from the beach house playing baseball. He said, and these are his exact words, 'Papa hit big stick'." Yugi explained and Miwa just sighed.

"Richard didn't like noise that much, that's why he didn't really want children, and sometimes Yami would make noise."

Yugi listened carefully.

"And so Richard kept a baseball bat in the back of Yami's room, he used it for when he acted up." The tri-coloured teen soaked up this new information like a sponge in water.

"How often did he beat him?"

"Not that much. He had other ways of keeping him quiet." Miwa said plainly.

"Like what?

"He would growl."

Yugi looked at her as if she had grown antlers.

"What?"

Miwa looked at him with cold eyes.

"He'd growl, like a dog."

They turned back to Yami who was now splashing his fingers in the water, enjoying the feeling.

"And that kept him quiet?"

"I'd imagine so or else Richard wouldn't of kept on doing it."

Yugi decided to leave it at that, but he still wanted to know more about Yami's past.

And unless Azula came back, Miwa was the only one who knew what horrors that poor boy had been put through...

* * *

Finally the weekend was over and Yami was sent back to live with Stan and his family.

Stan was current sat in the living room filming Yami and Dr. Honey.

"I see dentist." Yami said as he tried to say the words that Honey had wrote on the chalkboard.

"Yami did you take my hairbrush?"

Everyone turned to see Stan's daughter Emily standing in the doorway glaring at Yami.

"Can this wait till later?" Stan asked.

"Well sorry but he's been messing with too many of my things and my patience is running a little thin!" She exclaimed and ran out the room.

Yami looked at Honey in confusion and Honey looked at Stan.

"I gotta go." He sighed and Honey nodded...

* * *

Stan ran into the kitchen where he found Emily scrubbing some dirty dishes.

"Hey, are you OK?" He asked calmly.

"Yes." She said.

"I'm sure your hairbrush will turn up soon." Stan reassured.

"It's not just the hairbrush dad."

"Then tell me what's wrong."

Emily took a deep breath.

"It's just that everyone one at school are always walking up to me saying 'Hey your the girl living with the Wild Child aren't you?' and it's like I don't have my own face anymore, then when I get home you and Mom are always with Yami and never really spend time with me anymore."

Suddenly she broke into tears.

Stan hadn't realised he and Alice had been ignoring their daughter and so he wrapped her in a hug.

"Shhhh, I'm so sorry you feel that way and I should have noticed how you felt. How about you and me go to the fair tomorrow afternoon?"

Emily looked up at her father with teary eyes.

"Just the two of us?"

Stan smiled and nodded.

"Just the two of us."...


	10. Happy Birthday And New Skills

**Chapter 10: Happy Birthday And New Skills**

Today was a special day for the team and for Yami.

Today was Yami's birthday.

Since Yami had never really had a good birthday everyone wanted to make this one a day he would never forget.

Yugi and Tea thought it would be best if they took Yami down town while everyone prepared for the party.

They were current doing some groceries shopping and Yami was with Alan, the friendly butcher, again.

"Here you go Yami." He smiled as he passed the boy a bone.

Yami did what he would always do which was feel the bone and rub it against his face, almost as if he was blind.

"How old is he now?" Tea asked as she watched Yami and Alan.

"Well, according to Miwa he's now 17." Yugi explained.

Tea just nodded sadly and watched as Yugi went to tell Yami it was time to go...

* * *

When Yugi, Tea and Yami walked into Stan's house Yami noticed how dark it was.

He gently grabbed Yugi's arm and tried to see through the darkness.

Suddenly the lights turned and dozens of people jumped out from behind the sofa.

At first, Yami panicked but then he remembered he knew these people.

They were Stan, Alice, Emily, George, Miwa, Azula, Kaiba, Mokuba, Joey, Tristan, Grandpa and Honey.

"Happy birthday Yami!" They all exclaimed and Yami saw a ton of balloons and party decorations.

The party was truly amazing.

Yami got a robot toy from Stan and Alice, a box of chocolates from Emily and George, some new clothes from Miwa, a drum from Azula, some toy cars from Kaiba and Mokuba, a picture book from Honey, a board game from Yugi and Tea and some children movies from Joey, Tristan and Grandpa.

Yugi watched with a smile as Azula did some catching up with her little brother.

However, he noticed Tea was nowhere to be found and went to look for her.

He soon found her standing outside on the balcony.

"Hey Tea, your missing the party." Yugi said with a smile, but his smile fell when he noticed the tears in her blue eye.

"I wonder what it must be like to have only memories of pain and sorrow all your life then suddenly your thrown into a whole new world where people you've never known try and show you kindness and love you've never known." She wondered as tears streamed down her face.

"Tea, are you OK?"

"NO YUGI! I'M ANYTHING BUT OK, HOW CAN THEY LET THOSE MONSTERS ANYWHERE NEAR HIM AFTER THE HORRID WAY THEY TREATED HIM!" She cried angrily.

Yugi realised that she was talking about Azula and Miwa.

"Tea, they were Richard's victims as well as Yami." Tea began to calm down a little bit.

"But don't you want to know why? I'm not even talking as a nosey kid, I'm talking as a Human Being and I wanna know how another human being was put through this torture." She explained.

Yugi knew just what she was talking about.

"I know what you mean Tea but we just have to be patient."

But Tea just shook her head.

"I'm sorry but I can't do this any more."

Then she headed back to the house.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"To say goodbye to Yami, this will probably be the last time he sees me."

And then she was gone...

* * *

It had been three days since the party and sadly Yami was making as much progress as Honey and Stan would like.

"So he's not learning anything new at all?" Solomon asked. He, Yugi and Honey were sitting in a café talking about Yami.

"I fear that it might be the Critical Period Hypothesis." She said and took another sip of her coffee.

"The what?" Yugi asked.

"This hypothesis states that the first few years of life is the important time for an individual to gain a first language. If language input doesn't occur until after this time, the individual will never gain a full command of language, especially grammar."

Yugi suddenly had an idea.

"Maybe he doesn't need to talk."

Grandpa and Honey looked at him.

"If you think about, Yami does know the words but he just can't put them in a sentence, kinda like a mute person, and how do some mute people communicate?"

"Sometimes they write on paper or use sign language." Grandpa replied.

Honey realized what Yugi was getting at.

"You think we can teach Yami sign language?"

Yugi nodded.

"He does know what were saying and he is really good using his hands when expressing himself." Honey smiled.

"Ok I'll find Yami a teacher."...

* * *

It wasn't long before Yami taking sign language classes with, much to Yugi's horror, Rebecca Hawkins.

"I will go see the dentist tomorrow." She said slowly as she preformed the signs to go with those words.

He repeated her actions.

Rebecca smiled.

"Very good, now why not say something to Yugi?" She suggested and Yami turned around to face Yugi.

" _Yami likes Yugi_."

Yugi smiled and began to use sign language. " _Yugi likes Yami too_."

After Yami's lesson he began watching something on the TV while Yugi, Stan and Rebecca talked.

"He's a fast learner." She explained.

"Thanks for doing this Rebecca."

Suddenly Yami walked into the kitchen and looked at everyone.

They all stared into those crimson eyes, Yami then grabbed two cookies from the table and walked back into the living room

They just laughed...


	11. From Home To Hell

**Chapter 11: From Home To Hell**

It had been almost four weeks since Rebecca began to teach Yami sign language and he had been making amazing progress.

However, just as things were looking up for the wild child, everything began to go down hill very, very quickly...

* * *

It was a rainy Saturday afternoon, Grandpa walked through the front door dripping wet.

To his surprise he saw Yugi sat on the sofa with an angry look on his face and tears in his eyes.

"Yugi, what's the matter?" Grandpa asked his grandson.

"They've dropped it."

"Who's dropped what?"

The tears in Yugi's eyes began to fall.

"Kaiba Corp have cut the funding because apparently we didn't have enough research on Yami's progress." He explained.

"So what about Yami?" Grandpa asked.

"He's moving out of Stan's house."

"Well where's he living now?"...

* * *

"Hello Yami." Miwa smiled when Yami, who was clutching his favourite teddy bear he called Andy, came walking in with Stan who was carry Yami's other things like clothes and other toys.

Social Services had decided that Yami should be sent to live with his mother in the house he had been so terribly abused.

The house had been painted a nicer colour and almost everything was brand new.

"I fixed your room for you." She said calmly.

"Why don't you go and have a look." Stan suggested and Miwa led Yami to the room where he spent his childhood.

However, the windows were no longer boarded up, there was a little desk by the wall, a wardrobe, some toys and a bed.

Suddenly Yami heard Stan's car start and he ran to the front door.

But when he got there he saw Stan driving away in his car.

Yami watched the car with teary eyes and Miwa stepped up behind him.

"He's gone now Yami." She said coldly and gentle led her son back into the house...

* * *

Three days later Yugi and Honey arrived at the Sennen house. When they got there they saw Miwa talking to another woman on the porch, when she saw them she said goodbye to the woman.

As the woman left Yugi caught a glimpse of her badge and his eyes widened slightly.

"Yugi!" Yami exclaimed as he came running out the house.

Miwa tried to stop him but her son was to fast and he tackled Yugi into a hug.

"Hey Yami." He smiled.

"It's good to see Miwa." Honey said and Yami's mother nodded and they went inside...

* * *

While Miwa was washing some dishes in the kitchen Yami, Honey and Yugi were in his new room.

Yami was drawing a picture of himself, Yugi and Honey.

"That's great Yami, why don't finish that so I can take it home and show Rebecca what a great artist you are."

Yami nodded and Yugi walked towards the kitchen.

"Miwa." Yugi started but Miwa refused to look at him, she kept on washing the dishes.

"I hope your not planning on put Yami in an asylum." He said.

"I don't have a choice. He doesn't listen to me, he stomps his feet, slams the door then yesterday I found him digging up my flowers in the back yard."

She then turned to her son's look-a-like.

"He never use to do those things."

Yugi felt his blood boil, but he tried to keep calm. "He never really had a chance."

She glared at him and turned but the dishes.

"Instead of putting him in an asylum why not place him in a foster home where the parents have other kids who can help take care of Yami."

Miwa paused for a second, as if considering the option...

* * *

After having a word with Yami's Social Worker, Miwa had Yami sent to a foster family at the other end of Domino City.

He now lived with Adam Stanton, Adam's wife Helen Stanton and there two other foster children called Kai Greg and Luke Harrison.

Adam was 57 years old, he had grey hair, brown ears and pale wrinkly skin, he wore and white woolly jumper and black trousers.

He and his wife were very strict with the their foster sons.

Helen was 54 years old, she had dark brown hair, green eyes and tanned skin, she wore a black shirt and white jeans.

She isn't that nice to the boys.

Kai was 14 years old, he had black spiky hair, amber eyes and peachy skin, he wore a red hoodie and dark red tracksuit bottoms.

He lost his parents in a fire and all the smoke permanently damaged his brain.

Kai shared a room with Yami.

Luke was 6 years old, he had short chestnut brown hair, blue eyes and tanned skin, he wore a blue t-shirt and white shorts.

His older brother died in the army and his single mother gave him up when he was 2 because she just couldn't cope...

* * *

It was Monday morning and Adam and Helen had to take the boys to school.

Yami was surprised when they dropped him off at the same high school Yugi and Kai went to.

Not the pre-school he always went to, to help with his problems.

"Good morning class." The headmaster said when he walked into Yugi's classroom.

"I am pleased to introduce a new boy joining us. Yami Sennen."

The gang shoot their heads up so quickly they got whiplash.

"Come here Yami."

Everyone turned to the door and Yami poked his around the door and when he saw Yugi he ran up to him and hugged him tightly.

"Yami what are you doing here?"

Yami started to use sign language.

" _That mean woman drove me here_." Yugi's eyes narrowed.

He had the have a talk with the Stanton's...


	12. Uh Oh!

**Chapter 12: Uh Oh!**

Unfortunately, Yugi could only talk to the Stanton's if he was with either Dr. Honey or Yami's Social Worker Ishizu Ishtar and the earliest visit Honey had wasn't soon enough.

Now he stood with Honey on the Stanton's front door step.

"Hello." Helen greeted, her voice lacking emotions.

"Good evening Mrs Stanton." Honey smiled and they walked in.

"Is Yami here?" Yugi asked, trying to ignore the old woman's glare.

"Yes, he's up stairs in his room with Kai."

Yugi didn't need to be told twice and before anyone knew it he was up the stairs...

* * *

When Yugi got to Yami's new bedroom he saw it was no bigger then his room back at the Game Shop.

It had two small beds at either side and at the end of each bed was a large chest, a closet and a small window which was locked.

Yugi saw Yami sat in his bed on the left side of the room and Kai was sat on his bed.

Kai was showing Yami how to play catch with a tennis ball.

"YUGI!" Yami exclaimed happily and wrapped his look-a-like in a loving hug.

"Hey there Yami." Yugi smiled and turned to Yami's new foster brother.

"It's nice to meet you Kai, I'm Yugi." He said sweetly.

"Kai know who Yugi is." The 14 year old replied, he remembered seeing Yugi around school.

Suddenly Adam stormed in.

"I thought I told you two brats to keep the noise down!" He shouted angrily.

Yugi saw Kai looking down at the ground in shame and Yami began to shake in fear.

"I would appreciate it if you didn't raise your voice around Yami." Yugi said calmly.

"Watch your tongue boy." Adam glared and walked out the room.

Yugi looked at the boys, Kai was now sat on his bed facing the wall and Yami was hiding under the covers of his bed.

Yugi went down stairs to have a word with Yami's foster parents...

* * *

After Yugi had told Honey what had happened in the bedroom they decided to sit Adam and Helen down and have a good talk with them.

"It's just not natural for a 17 year old to be in a little kids school, how do you expect him to become normal if you actually send him to a proper school?" Helen asked as she explained why she stopped taking Yami to his usual school.

"In case you have forgotten Mrs Stanton, Social Services told you both very clearly that Yami must go to the pre-school." Honey said firmly.

Adam's eyes hardened.

"Trust me, the best way to treat a mentally challenged child is to treat them like they were normal and make them do things normal kids do at their age."

"That is also why we took Yami's toys away." Helen added.

Yugi's violet eyes widened after hearing this.

"A 17 year old shouldn't be playing with toys made for 5 year olds." Adam said coldly.

"Now I think it's time for you both to leave."

He then escorted them both out his house...

* * *

The next morning Yugi waited patently for Adam and Helen to leave, he watched as the couple left and Helen placed a trash bag on the path before climbing into the car with her husband.

Yugi waited until they were both gone before he ran towards the trash bag, he ripped it open and began looking through it.

Soon he found just what he was hoping to find.

One of Yami's toys, his favourite teddy bear, Andy. Quickly he ran round the back of the house and called through the only unlocked window.

Yami poked his spiky head out after opening it a little and Yugi passed him the bear.

" _Keep it hidden Yami_." He warned.

" _Thank you Yugi_."...

* * *

It had been a week since Yugi and Honey had last visited and Yami missed them very badly. He was currently sat in the back garden with the Stanton's and their two other foster kids, Adam and Helen were tending to the plants, Luke was playing in the sand pit and Yami and Kai were talking to each other using sign-language.

"Kai!"

They both turned around and saw Helen and Adam glaring at them.

"You know that we can't understand you when you use sign-language, if you got something to say just say it." Helen said.

"That goes for you too Yami!" Adam added.

When it was time for dinner things only got worse.

The Stanton's wouldn't let Yami leave the table until he ate everything thing on his place, but when he or the other two got close to finishing their food Helen always gave them more.

Eventually Yami felt like he was going to be sick.

But when he tried to go to the toilet like Alice had taught him Helen would push him back into his seat.

Saying that he couldn't leave until they had all finished.

Finally Yami couldn't keep it down any longer and ended up throwing up all over Helen's nice clean floor.

When Yami manage to stop Adam marched over to him and smacked him hard across the face.

Yami looked up at the man with tears in his crimson eyes as painful memories of his father filled his head.

That night Yami curled up into a tight ball in his bed and cried himself to sleep...


	13. Saviour

**Chapter 13:** **Saviour**

"-and further more I've told him he can no longer have any visits from his mother." Adam said when Yugi and Honey came over for their weekly visit.

"Why?" The shorter boy asked.

"Because he looks forward to them. The only way to impress a child is to deprive it of something it values." Helen replied with an icy tone.

This was the last straw for both Yugi and Honey.

"Mrs Stanton, weren't you informed that this child has an extremely unusual background." Honey said, trying to keep her temper under control.

"We have two other foster children with equally unusual backgrounds, they don't just stand their and be sick while everyone is trying to eat." Helen glared.

"It's the act of an animal." Adam added.

Then the couple slammed their front door in Honey and Yugi's faces...

* * *

The next day the Stanton's decided to take the boys down town with them, even though Yami was looking forward to the trip he was slightly scared of Adam and Helen.

When they got to the food store Yami kept picking up all kinds of tins and packets.

What no one else knew was that Yugi was also in store.

"Where's Yami?" Alan asked when he noticed Yami wasn't with Yugi that day like he normally was.

"He moved." Yugi replied sadly.

"Oh, hope he's doing alright." The butcher sighed.

"Me too." As Yugi walked away he noticed Yami further down the aisle playing with some toilet paper.

Suddenly Adam came around the corner and grabbed Yami's wrist, hard.

"That's enough!" He said in a venomous tone before roughly dragging Yami away...

* * *

After Yugi witnessed what had happened in the store and reported it to Yami's Social Worker, they both went to investigate.

As Ishizu interviewed the Stanton's and looked around down stairs, Yugi went up to Yami and Kai's room to see how his cousin was doing.

When he got there he saw all three boys sat in the room.

Kai was staring at Yami, Luke was sat on the ground by the window and Yami was lying down facing the wall, he was also wearing a greyish-blue sweater.

"Hey Yami, it's me Yugi." He said sweetly as he sat on Yami's bed but the boy didn't move.

"Yami tell me what's wrong."

The boy slowly turned around and Yugi saw that most of the colour in his skin was gone, he had dark circles around his eyes again and he pressed his licks firmly together.

"Are you afraid to open your mouth because you think your gonna be sick?" Yugi asked. Yami nodded his head weakly.

"Well you can just use sign-language then." He suggested but Yami suddenly back away, fear all over his face.

"Mr Stanton doesn't want Yami to use us to use sign-language." Luke said.

"Well Mr Stanton van go to hell!" Yugi snapped, but felt guilty when he saw Kai and Luke flinch.

"Sorry, please don't him I said that about him, I don't want him to take it out on Yami."

Both boys nodded and Yugi turned back to Yami, who had know curled himself up into a ball.

"Yami hurt himself, he scratch his arm and stops when their red." Kai stuttered.

Yugi's eyes widened when he understood what Kai was talking about.

"Yami, please let me take a look."

Yami slowly uncurled himself and Yugi carefully pulled up the sleeves of the boys sweater.

Yugi had to put his hand over his mouth to stop himself from throwing up.

Both of Yami's arms had long, deep cuts all over them, some old some new and some looked infected...

* * *

A series of loud knocks on the door dragged Stan out of his bed at 11 pm.

When he opened the door he saw Yugi standing on his door step, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Just two minutes if your time, pleas Stan that's all I'm asking." The young boy pleaded.

Stan looked at the boy in front of him and sighed before letting Yugi inside...

* * *

"Please Stan, we have to get him out of there now!" Yugi cried after he told Stan everything.

"It sounds like Yami's the problem, not the Stanton's."

Yugi felt like someone had just slashed him across the chest and then rubbed salt in the cut.

"What?!" He exclaimed.

But then he saw the look on Stan's face and sighed.

"Listen, I know you think that I don't appreciate the sacrifices you and your family made when you took Yami in, but I really do. Please Stan, if we don't get him out of that place he will destroy himself!"

Stan looked at Yugi.

He and his family may not of been able to take Yami back in, but he might be able to get him out of that house.

"I'll make a call, but I'm making no promises."...


	14. An Unhappy Ending

**Chapter 14: An Unhappy Ending**

Yugi really didn't know if it was fate or he was just the luckiest bastard on earth, but when Stan made a call Yami, Luke and Kai were removed from the Stanton's custody.

Yami was in the hospital for his cuts, the boys had been placed in a group home and the Stanton's were forbidden to adopt a child ever again.

"Hey Yami." He smiled when he and Rebecca came to his hospital room.

" _Hey guys_." Yami replied and Rebecca smiled.

" _I see your sign-language skills have been improving_." She said and Yami nodded.

" _Yeah, thanks for teaching me_." Just then Ishizu walked into the room.

"Yugi is it OK if I speak with you a moment?" She asked.

Yugi nodded and followed her into the corridor.

"I understand you were worried about the other boys living with the Stanton's and I just want you to know that Social Services will find them new foster families." She explained.

Yugi nodded. "I'm just happy that their out of there." He said.

Ishizu's expression softened.

"Unfortunately, Yami won't be so easy to re-home."

Yugi felt his happiness fading away, Ishizu noticed the look on Yugi's face and an idea came into her head.

"I know this is so sudden but how would you like Yami to come live with you and your Grandfather?" She asked hopefully.

"What?"

"It's just that you've stood by him ever since he was first discovered and you understand his needs and Yami trusts you. In fact, we might never find someone else with as strong a bond with Yami as you have." She explained.

Yugi was starting to like the idea.

"I like it, but I need to talk to Grandpa about it first."

Ishizu nodded and Yugi walked back into the room...

* * *

That night at dinner, Yugi and Grandpa were talking about whether to taking Yami in or not.

"I don't think it's a good idea to take Yami in Yugi." Grandpa said.

"But Grandpa, he's family and you always say we can't turn our back on family." Yugi whined.

"It's not just about him Yugi, it's about us. He's gonna need to be watched all the time and I've got the Game Shop to watch and you've got to go to school." The old man said.

He thought about what Grandpa had said, true Yami needed to be watched carefully and Yugi had to go to school and Grandpa had to watch the shop but Yami had learned an awful lot since he was first found.

"Grandpa please, he needs us now more then ever now." Yugi pleaded.

Grandpa looked into his grandson's amethyst eyes and sighed.

"Alright fine." The next thing the old man he was getting crushed by his Grandson in a hug...

* * *

But when Yugi went to tell Yami he great news he was shocked when he went into Yami's room and saw that a completely different family was there.

"Sorry I must have the wrong room." He said and quickly left the room.

He then noticed Dr. Honey standing at the receptionist's desk.

"What's going on?" Yugi asked.

"Yami's been moved, when I came to check up on him early all I found was this. I'm trying to find out where he is now" Honey explained and passed Yugi something, it was Yami's favourite toy, his teddy bear Andy.

"According to these notes Yami Sennen was discharged from hospital." The receptionist said.

"But who authorised that?" Honey asked.

The receptionist looked at the documents and Yugi gasped when he heard the answer.

"His mother."...

* * *

"He's not here!" Miwa glared when Yugi came to her house.

While Honey went to talk to Social Services Yugi needed to have a word the Miwa Sennen.

"Miwa wait please! I just wanna talk." He pleaded, she looked at him for a brief moment before stepping aside and letting him into her home.

They were now sat in the living room while Miwa explained everything.

"The way you hounded that poor child. The way you kept pushing him beyond his limits. But then again he wasn't he really a person to you or any of those doctors, no, to you he was just some tool of science." She snarled.

"No your wrong, Yami loved the work we did." Yugi said.

"Don't you dare tell me how to look after MY son! You don't know what's best for Yami and you never did!" She shouted angrily.

"I bet you just couldn't wait for him to go so you could live your pathetic life again." She added.

Yugi felt tears in his eyes but he refused to let them fall.

"No! I needed him in my life just as much as he needed me. From the moment when I first laid my eyes on him I knew he was special." Yugi said.

"Well you won't be laying eyes on him any more. If I catch you, your friends or anyone from the hospital anywhere near my son I'll sue every last one of you." Miwa warned.

"Yami is going to think I abandoned him." Yugi's voice cracked as he said those words.

But Miwa wouldn't listen and asked him to leave...

* * *

As Yugi walked away from the house a voice he hoped he would never hear again came from behind him.

"Well hello Yugi Muto."

Yugi turned around and saw June Wiley smirking at him, he watched as she waved to Miwa and walked towards the house.

"So how long has this been going on?" He asked.

"Ever since I read that document that Dr Honey published, I figured that Mrs Sennen should know what kind of people were 'taking care' of her son." The woman chuckled.

The tears that Yugi had been holding in finally began to fall.

"There was nothing wrong with that document! You didn't care what the excuse was, just as long as it helped you get Yami back!" He cried.

"Yeah and thanks to you I never will, you and that Stan went and poisoned the school board and Social Services against me! I WARNED YOU I'D MAKE YOU ALL PAY!" She shouted before Miwa welcomed the ex-teacher inside...


	15. Mockingbird Don't Sing

**Chapter 15: Mockingbird Don't Sing**

It had been 3 years since Yugi and the others were forbidden to see Yami and they all began lives of their own after they had left high school.

Joey and Tristan become Social Workers, Tea moved away to become a dancer and Yugi became a doctor for mentally ill children, he also married Rebecca and they had a baby boy named Heba. Heba looked like the tanned version of Yugi.

Miwa still forbade them all from seeing Yami, even after she became blind once again, Azula became a famous DJ and June continued to harass the Yugi gang until she died in a sudden car crash.

Honey became a linguist teacher at famous collage and Stan retired for his job as a therapist.

Yami was put into an adult foster home until one day Seto Kaiba managed to persuade Miwa to let him adopt her son.

Yami now lives with the Seto and Mokuba in their mansion but he is still prevent from see the people who once meant so much too him..

* * *

Yugi sighed for the hundredth time that day, he was currently typing up a report of one of his patiences at the hospital. "Sweety, I'm going to buy some more milk." Rebecca called before Yugi heard the front door shut. He smiled and turned to the mantelpiece.

Where Andy the teddy bear sat peacefully.

Yugi had kept it after all this time as is was his only reminder of Yami, Heba's cries suddenly dragged Yugi out of his day-dream. He walked into his son's room and carefully lifted him out of the crib.

As he genitally rocked to the baby back to sleep he sang a song.

 _Hush little baby don't say a word_

 _Papa's going to buy you a mockingbird._

 _If that mockingbird won't sing_

 _Papa's going to buy you a golden ring_

 _If that gold ring turns to brass_

 _Papa's going to buy you a looking glass_

 _If that glass begins to crack_

 _Papa's going to buy you a jumping jack_

 _If that jumping jack is broke_

 _Papa's going to buy you a velvet cloak_

 _If that velvet cloth is coarse_

 _Papa's going to buy you a rocking horse_

 _If that rocking horse won't rock_

 _Papa's going to buy you a cuckoo clock_

 _If that cuckoo clock won't tick_

 _Papa's going to buy you a walking stick_

 _If that walking stick falls down_

 _You'll still be the sweetest little baby in town_

 ** _The End_**


End file.
